Consent

While Kiwiburn is a great place to let loose and radically express yourself, we also want to create a culture where everyone feels safe and respected. If you’re not sure about whether what you’re doing is okay, just ask. Be aware of the people around you and think about how you might feel if you were them. Sometimes people don’t want to hug you, don’t want pictures taken of themselves, or don’t want you all up in their personal space.

If someone says “no”, chances are, they mean it.

It is your responsibility to make sure your actions aren’t negatively affecting other people, even if you’re intoxicated. There are no excuses for being a creep. Have a close read of the guiding principles. Radical self expression doesn’t mean you can radically self express yourself all over someone else. Civic responsibility is to ensure everyone is having a good time… not just you. Think of this in terms of ‘radical self awareness’ rather than ‘radical self entitlement’. If someone is intoxicated, they may be unable to give their full consent. If you ask and get no clear response, just assume they don’t consent. Please be open to other people’s interpretations of the situation, rather than getting defensive. If someone thinks you crossed a line with them, believe them – this is not the time for you to debate why what you did was all good. It’s their line; they get to make the decision about their own body.

Let us know

If someone is abusive or behaving in a way that makes you uncomfortable, we want you to be able to report it. It is likely that other people could be affected by the same person, so please tell someone with a radio like Black Sheep Rangers, the Depot or our security workers. Ask them to report it to the Site Manager, who’s job it is to make keep an eye on things. If you see people repeatedly crossing boundaries in a way that doesn’t seem right, please let us know. If there are dangerous or predatory people at our event, it may be in everyone’s best interests to remove them, but we need to know who they are first.

Taking Photos at Kiwiburn?

We love it when people take photos of our event, but please make sure you are sensitive about other people’s boundaries. That naked person running around the fire may well be a tax accountant who doesn’t want to be tagged on Facebook for employers and family members to see. Don’t publicly share any sensitive photos, unless you have expressed permission to do so. Not sure if it’s a good time to take photos? Just ask.